Ryan Blaney Applauds His Team’s Unwavered Belief for Never Doubting Championship Shot Despite Ford’s Drawback

After causing a huge upset to the Championship hopes of his competitors, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney is one gratified driver. On Sunday, the driver of the #12 Ford Mustang raced his way to the Martinsville finish line ahead of all. Getting his ticket to Phoenix along with the infamous Martinsville grandfather clock, Blaney had many to thank for his glory. Talking to Fox Sports’ reporter Bob Pockrass, he expressed his gratitude for the support that his team had provided him through thick and thin.

One of the biggest reasons for Team Penske to celebrate Blaney’s current high is the middling midseason that they had with their Ford car. Surprisingly, the driver had some words on how the dip affected his Championship beliefs.

Ryan Blaney expresses his gratitude for Team Penske after reaching new heights

Blaney’s visit to the Championship 4 is his first ever. He will be joining Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and William Byron at Phoenix to battle it all out for the ultimate trophy. However, the driver was not really among the top favorites to find his way to the final level of the game. With veterans like Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. in the mix, Blaney’s chances weren’t bright. But the only ones who really needed to believe in him were his crewmates, and they did.

Thanking them for their commitment and trust, he said to Pockrass, “I mean, Vegas, Homestead, here? We have been pretty unbelievable. This group just does the work (…) This group didn’t get down and just went to work. They figured out what we needed to get better. They have done it. They have worked their tails off and deserve to be here.”

After a patch of dry run post his victory at Charlotte back in May, Blaney has now secured 2 wins in the last 5 races. And it is the timely return of his team’s form that put him through to Championship 4. Continuing to provide his positive feedback, he extended words of praise for Team Penske, as a whole.

Watch Story: A Twist of Fate: The Martinsville Controversy

However, a follow-up question from the reporter took the driver towards a path that reminded him of his fruitless summer run with Ford this year.

Using the example of a circle of highs and lows, the #12 driver reveals how Ford affected his mindset

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Before his win in the quick track at Talladega, Blaney’s victory lane visit came an excruciating 4 months earlier. While his victory in the Coca-Cola 600 is certainly one for the books, he found himself in a dip after that. With a string of poor performances following, he quickly lost favor amongst those betting for the championship.

However, his comeback is as true and real as it gets. Calling NASCAR a circle of highs and lows, Blaney explained that all that mattered was peaking at the right time. With Pockrass asking him if Ford’s performance dip in the summer led to him doubting a Championship 4 appearance, Blaney assured that the thought never crossed him.

He said, “I don’t really think I ever thought that. I never thought, ‘Man, I don’t know if I can make it to Phoenix’. You never know how these playoffs are gonna go. This sport is like a big circle (…) It’s about peaking at the right time. I just thought, ‘I hope we can get on top of the circle here’ when the playoffs start and peaking when it matters.”

Thanks to Team Penske’s belief in their driver and his own belief in Ford, they have achieved the impossible. All that’s left to do now is keep the momentum and trust going for one more week. For now, Phoenix is all that matters.

Read More: Despite Their Cold Start, Ryan Blaney and Ford Rose From Their Ashes Heading to Phoenix